0/5

Oops: Best bloopers of 2018

From typos to tech meltdowns, here are some of 2018's most memorable gaffes.

On air typos, fake interviews and technical meltdowns were amongst some of 2018’s best -or worst- TV gaffes.

Nine’s “Unexceptable” typo was just one of several inglorious moments.

Here are a few more.

Live TV

The bloopers began just as 2017 was closing when Charlie Pickering asked a New Year’s Eve crowd, “Are you ready to count down to the magical moment, the only time it’s ok to kill a police officer -ahh.. kiss a police officer- without asking?”  He later apologised for the slip-up.

Morning TV

Sunrise‘s Mark Beretta reported on Usain Bolt’s offer from Europe’s Valletta FC, a deal steered by the Central Coast Mariners. That prompted David Koch to say, “Who said slavery was over, anyway?” before realising it was badly phrased. You think?

Vice reporter Oobah Butler had his brother impersonate him in a Live interview on Weekend Sunrise. Neither Monique Wright or Basil Zempalis knew of the fakery despite interviewing the real deal a year earlier.

Sunrise was forced to apologise to Malcolm Turnbull after David Koch was one of several media misled by a man who claimed the PM had queue-jumped him in a local pub. “The Prime Minister was at a Politics in the Pub event in Brisbane’s Carindale Hotel when he committed the ultimate pub sin, cutting in front of the line to get a beer.” Nope.

After a man who answered Today‘s Cash Call with “Hello, I wake up with Today” the show initially ruled him ineligible before then backflipping and awarding him $40,000.

UK singer Dua Lipa hit back at Today‘s Richard Wilkins after he criticised her for appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live at the same time as cancelling Australian performances, tweeting “If you were a good journalist you would’ve done proper research instead of talking out of your ass. Jimmy Kimmel was shot in Feb in LA and aired yesterday. I’ve been in Australia on bed rest and wouldn’tve cancelled my Bruno shows if I didn’t have to.”

https://youtu.be/TvSQQD33hgc

Today‘s Natalia Cooper got more than she bargained for asking a punter about how he spent Australia Day: “Smashed a few cones, it was alright.”

After Today show suffered dire ratings, Peter FitzSimons, husband of Lisa Wilkinson, tweeted: “Something will have to break. It cannot go on, in the current form past Chrissie, surely. I have followed the numbers closely. Today would not have been this low for at least ten years.” He soon deleted the post explaining it was meant to be a private message. Ouch.

News

Ian Henderson’s farewell ABC News bulletin, capping off almost 4 decades at the public broadcaster, was plagued by technical problems requiring him to return the following night. “Now, as I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted: back tomorrow night to ice this properly! Love you all,” he tweeted.

On Australia Day Nine News used a graphic ….with a New Zealand flag.

Nine News presenter Brett McLeod kept a straight face  after incorrectly being introduced as “Alicia Loxley.”

Southern Cross News announced it would rebrand as 7 News Tasmania but had to withdraw it. “Seven felt they shouldn’t have their name on it if they didn’t control the output and we’re respectful of that,” they conceded.

Sport

Seven apologised after a trademark Lawrence Mooney double entrendre during AFL pre-game show The Kick. After several gags at the expense of  Collingwood’s Mason Cox, he threw to female presenter Sam Lane “for the Cox report,” adding, “Because you love the Cox.” Seven said sorry.

Media

In a Daily Mail article citing Denise Drysdale’s age as 69 it nodded to her “70 years in Australian television.”

TEN copped plenty of criticism in what should have been a positive moment after News Corp posted a gallery of white blokes leading its Pilot Week titles. While there were women in several projects Publicity neglected to highlight them.

10 found a sense of humour when it was forced to rename 10 Boss as 10 Bold after a dispute with Nine-owned AFR Boss magazine: “Anyone that knows 10, knows we’re no Grinch. So in the spirit of giving and as an early Christmas present to our friends at Nine, we’re flicking the switch to 10 Bold.”

Nine had to reissue its Upfronts release after press enquiries questioned the absence of the AFL Footy Show. The newer version included it, even though it still isn’t clear just what will screen.

Nine also claimed “Nine is No. 1 for News & Current Affairs in 2019” before a hastily-edited “Nine: Your No. 1 in News & Current Affairs in 2019.” It didn’t win News in 2018 either.

Industry

Free TV listed 150 titles on SBS, SBS VICELAND & SBS Food Network which it said were “off Charter” but was forced to apologise after including local productions Gourmet Farmer and Destination Food Japan. In the end a govt review gave SBS the all clear on all 150.

International

How not to host a quiz show, starring Jeremy Clarkson…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8u8jut0Soo

Was it real or clever manipulation? Either way Aussie drag queen Courtney Act attracted plenty of headlines in the UK after a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ when entering the Celebrity Big Brother house. She went on to win the series, followed by her own show and next a run for Eurovision.

5 Responses

  1. There was a cracker on ABC News 24 this morning at around 7.15am Eastern Standard Time. Michael Rowland was interviewing someone in wide shot and an unknown person strolled slowly by across the vision line of the camera. Michael looks up at the monitor, obviously seeing what has gone out live, gives a shrug and then goes back to interviewing. Reasonably professional I think but I would love to know what happened to the ‘intruder.’

Leave a Reply